Joan V. Durkey, age 85 of Clintonville, passed away early Sunday morning, January 27, 2019 at her home.
Joan Virginia Durkey was born on January 15, 1934 in Clintonville, daughter to the late Otto W. and Sadie A. (Henschel) Durkey. She attended school in Clintonville and played violin in the orchestra, later graduating in 1952. That summer, Joan worked at a canning factory and decided she needed to attend Oshkosh Business College. At age nineteen, she moved to Milwaukee where she was hired by J.C. Penny’s. Joan worked on the catalog side of things, handling billing and card files. She had a great work ethic and won awards for her attendance and excellence in her work. She retired in 2000 after 46 years of service to the company. While in Clintonville, she was a member of Christus Lutheran Church, and was also a member of Divine Word Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. Joan loved walking at the Mayfair Mall where she was quite well known, playing with her dog, Presley, word search puzzles, bird watching, and enjoying flowers. Reading was something she really enjoyed, everything from mysteries, romance, self-help, inspirational, to the newspaper. She also loved her television shows, pulling all-nighters to finish her Hallmark & Lifetime specials; and sharing in the excitement of WWE Pro-Wrestling along with Bruce. Joan moved back to Clintonville in 2005. She will be remembered as a quiet soul who loved to laugh, and was loving, giving, and compassionate.
She is survived by: nieces: Shelley (Jerry) Erdman, Germantown; Wendy (Bruce) Ferris, Clintonville; Darlene (Scott) Wolfe, Berlin; Linda Rexroat, Menomonee Falls; and Rhonda (Eduardo) Negron, Milwaukee; nephew, Randall (Kerry) Rose, New Berlin; grand-nieces and nephews: Anngela (Greg) Moyer, Nicole (Andy) Falk, Jeremy Erdman, Valerie Rexroat, Natalie (Chris) Beckwith, Alex Wolfe, Vincent Rexroat, Eric Wolfe, Jason Rose, and Julio Negron; great-grand-nieces and nephews: Greyson, Grant, and Greer Moyer; and Sam, Sabrina, and Madelyn Falk. Also, life-long friends: Milly Barnick and Gene and Nellie Barnick and family; close friends: Sandy, Adelle, Johnny, and all her other close friends from the Blue Bird Cafe; and special cousins from the Durkey, Miller, and Kreklow families. She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Marion Jane (Norman) Rose and Gloria Jean Durkey; a brother in infancy; and a nephew, John Rexroat.
Memorial services will be held 11 a.m. Friday, February 1, 2019 at Christus Lutheran Church, Clintonville with the Rev. Brian Crocker officiating. Inurnment will take place at Roseland Cemetery, Township of Dupont in the summer. Friends may call on Friday at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. The Eberhardt-Stevenson Funeral Home & Crematory,